Fivefingers: If you noticed in my first paragraph-last sentence, I have a new sender with the improved solid copper fingers, not the stainless oem crappy fingers.
The sender is not the problem, it's somewhere, something else. I suspect the wiring or a connector further forward in the harness, but as I said, haven't had a chance to get at it yet. I'm also not suspecting the gauge itself, cause if the gauge was the problem, it wouldn't register at all, so that leaves only wiring or connectors.
Bandit, at least I have company with the problem; but I'm sure we are not alone. There has to be somebody around these boards that has deciphered and rectified this type of thing. If only they would share what they've found.